Saturday letters to the editor

Published 7:00 pm, Friday, February 16, 2007

Support Literacy Council

To the editor:

The 20th Anniversary Worlds Greatest Dessert Party is right around the corner, and Im very excited to be the honorary chair of this event. Last year I had a wonderful time as one of the Celebrity Chefs, and Im very pleased that I was asked to be a part of the event again.

Ive supported the Literacy Council of Midland County for a long time because I truly believe in what they have done in the last 20 years. I am especially impressed with all the wonderful, innovative things they are doing now. The Literacy Council works with adult learners from all over Midland County, and they serve dozens of children and teens with their specially trained dyslexia tutors. In fact, they have served a number of teens at the Juvenile Care Center. Their efforts at the JCC have helped these at-risk kids return to their classes with higher self-esteem and better learning skills.

Do you know that the Literacy Council served more than 400 Midland County learners in 2006? Do you know that they routinely work one on one with 160 learners per week and have been serving that many people every week for more than two years? Do you know that our Literacy Council has become a resource to literacy councils and adult education programs all across Michigan? Members of the Literacy Council will be making presentations at the upcoming Michigan Conference on Adult Education and Training again this year. Im sure a lot of people dont know how much the Literacy Council does, because the Councils small staff goes about their business with pride, they have a modest budget and more than 75 dedicated volunteers that do their best to stay out of the limelight. Maybe there is some truth in the old sayings, "Watch out for the quiet ones and the little guys."

Please join me at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday, Feb. 20th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and help the Literacy Council celebrate their 20th Anniversary of the Worlds Greatest Dessert Party. Join me in thanking the Board Members, The Staff, and all the volunteersand make sure to visit with some of the learners who will be there. You will hear some great success stories!

If you need more information, call the Literacy Council at (989) 839-0540.

I hope to see a lot of you there. Oh  by the way there will be two chocolate fountains again this year.

Sheriff Jerry Nielsen

MPS should be commended

To the editor:

I would like to commend the Midland Public Schools and surrounding schools that did NOT cancel school during the recent cold spell (Feb 5, 6, &7). Yes, my children were outside waiting for the school bus along with many others, and went outside to play after school.

I am in my 30s, and when my age group was growing up we had "real" winters  bitter cold and lots of snow. Our parents sent us outside in weather like these past few days and we played. We dressed for the occasion which included snowpants, boots, gloves, hats or facemasks, scarves and winter coats. I am referring to the woman on the news who asked, "What am I supposed to do, send my kid to school in snowpants?" Well, yes. It is winter! What do you think they do in places like Minnesota, Montana or Alaska? They dont just go to school in the summer there. I believe those places are laughing at us right now.

I call this generation the "Bubble generation." Everything out there is bad for kids, or will bodily or mentally harm them. Such things as physical fitness, contact sports, punishment, competition … I could go on and on. The bad thing is the parents who are instilling these beliefs in their children. They are leading this "Bubble generation." Wait until these kids are in the real world, Everybody doesnt just get a job, there is competition. It can be physically and emotionally punishing in the real world. These kids are not going to know how do deal with it because their parents have coddled them their whole lives. These kids are our future leaders, and I am worried.